UnFATHOMable?

[StanJr]

I've been having some trouble with Fathom. I've been using Scott Stilphen's exquisite map to locate the trident pieces, but occasionally when I go to the screen where a piece is due to appear, and I collect all the clouds (without leaving the screen), I get NOTHING, nada. Yet if I leave the screen and come back a few seconds later I can then make the star appear.

 

What's the deal? I'm sure I've got the right screen each time. Is there a certain number of clouds you have to grab first, or do you have to get the pieces in a certain order or am I nuts?

 

Help?

 

Deep Blue Stan

[Chris++]

I'm pretty sure that Scott's map was the one I used as well, and that worked. So we have to remember the one aspect of Fathom that comes anywhere close to a shortcoming: It's very, very picky about the seagull staying on the screen while collecting clouds.

 

Let's say you're next to a volcano, on the very bottom screen under three screens of sky. On the current level, the next Trident piece is supposed to show up on the third (and therefore highest) screen of sky above you.

 

You collect all of the clouds on the first screen. You do the same on the second screen. Then you fly up to the highest. You collect all the clouds there except one -- and then you accidentally fly off the screen, back into the second-highest sky.

 

Unfortunately, the counter now resets! You have to return to the very bottom, then collect ALL the clouds for that longitude again (all three sky screens). Good and bad clouds count toward the Trident piece. The problem with bad clouds -- the gray ones that appear after you've "used up" all the good clouds for that whole level -- is that they subtract from your health, rather than adding to it.

 

Yeah, it's super-picky that way. Just make sure you're impeccable about going to the correct screen for each subsequent Trident piece. The way I measure it, while referring to the map, is by counting the volcanos AND noting their colors regarding the map. Also remember that there are two screens between volcanos, rather than just one: a left-of-volcano screen and a right-of-volcano screen. Flying upward from the wrong in-between screen set me back a couple times, just because I wasn't looking at the map meticulously enough.

Hope this helps...CF

[Scott Stilphen]

"Exquisite"? Haha! Hardly. About the only good thing you can say is that it's functional

[StanJr]

Dude, without yer map I'd still be on level 2.

 

S'funny, I've never had to collect all the clouds beneath the screen in which the star is to appear before. I'm sure I've gone only to the screen with the star and gotten it. But I'll try what you say since I'm making no progress otherwise! Thanks for the tip!

[Chris++]

It's possible that it only gets that fussy starting with level 3 or 4...I really can't remember if I've ever successfully grabbed a Trident piece on the early levels by just clearing the clouds for that one screen.

 

Any of you master coders wanna take a look at Fathom and see if you can figure out how the cloud/seahorse counter works?

[dwh]

Are these maps still on-line?Can someone please post a link.I already figured out the flying off the screen/messing up the count trick--this game is picky.

[Scott Stilphen]

Here ya are: http://www.digitpress.com/eastereggs/26fathom.htm